Tag: pita

However, I’ve been in a mood. I’ve been in many moods. But all moods point to wine. That sounded worse than I intended it to be. I wasn’t in the mood to drink copious amounts, no no. The weather is our friend and that means new grapes, new varietals, and new everything is our friend. New experiences are always our friend. I’m grateful they’re a friend to me.

Familiar places are a friend as well. And as some are just there to exist and be out of convenience, V-NO (past stories can be found right here hooray!) has been a staple of Fells Point, a staple to wine lovers, and a staple to people who enjoy celebrating life. Sitting outside when the weather is cooperative doesn’t hurt either.

Me and a pal decided to stop in recently and randomly, and those always make the best stories.

And I was in the mood for Albariño…

What makes this wine great is it can be light or full bodied, and have characteristics of fruits of the season (pear, pineapple, apricot among others come to mind), high acidity content, and has an aura and energy that maybe you can’t put into words.

You can tell it comes from somewhere far away. And I might once again mean something bigger than us, but Spain will do. Spanish wines have always won me over, red or white, and the one I’m going to talk about is no exception.

The 2017 Bodegas Aquitania Bernon Albarino is fantastic. And what makes it that is it feels unpretentious, welcoming, and just a great wine and a great price ($11-$13), but until today I haven’t seen it or noticed anywhere. Maybe I wasn’t supposed to.

There isn’t much else to say, except the outside was packed, which is a great thing to see. When we see local business thriving and people enjoying themselves with whatever their supporting, sipping, or enjoying it’s a wonderful thing to see.

No matter what your preference, a wine like this can be enjoyed inside, outside, with all types of food, and all types of company that will make you feel good and raise your spirits.

We got a couple of small plates that just added to the authenticity of everything. The almond and cashews topped with all these incredible seasonings (thyme, sage, rosemary, and a dash of a maple syrup), and the Mediterranean plate of grape leaves (which was the highlight for me), hummus, pita bread,and olives made this not only satisfying but never full. But still satisfying.

This was not the day to get full, fat, and happy. The goal was to eat light, sip light (one glass was all I needed), and to appreciate the day and my surroundings. That isn’t a stated or explained goal everyday, but my intent is to have that stay with me as long as I can, for as long as I can.

Good wines, good times, and good food is what you’ll find here. Their wine list for purchase (which you can drink right here or purchase to go) is exceptional and there’s something for everybody to enjoy.

I hope you enjoyed…

See you next time…

Love,

Ideen

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Any reason for me to use my love for wine and my love for animals in the same breath I’m going to do. As a matter of fact any excuse for me to profess my love for our divine and endearing creatures, I’m going to come up with one. For me its actually second nature and I’ll never shy away from that.

With all this said this week I went with a familiar face. I’ve had Decoy Wines in the past and loved every sip of every bottle I ever tried. If I’m sounding biased because of you know what on the label then you’re exactly right.

But what does stand out about these wines, aside from the gorgeous artwork, is the simplicity of the vintages and the tasting notes that accompany them. For anyone new to wine or, even someone who is a seasoned veteran, it’s always comforting to know that many of us just want to enjoy wine without any of the analysis and then over-analysis that some wineries get into. I’m all for expounding as long as it’s done in an inviting in approachable manner.

I had a few bottles in mind but at my local wine shoppe yesterday I scoured the aisles for any and all grapes, all varieties, and all charming labels. It didn’t have to be Chardonnay but that was at the top of the list.

At $20 this was on the higher end of what I would usually buy but trust me it’s worth every penny and even a little more. And with those simplistic notes you can’t go wrong. For myself and many others you’ll taste a simple yet balanced and delightful (look at me using wino terms) vino that can be paired with all kinds of food or with nothing at all. The specs mention layers of apple, pear, and lemon which all work well for summer but for most of the year if you think about it. Since those are mainly year round fruits you can equate this to being a year round wine. Simple and effective.

And even though the website lists this vintage as sold out, I’m convinced that their more recent varietals are just as relatable and heartwarming as this one. And there’s a good chance you may find it at your local wine distributor. Just a hunch. This is a label I’ve seen all over the place.

I enjoyed my wine with some pita chips and lemon flavored hummus, that I purchased without any idea that this wine would carry hints of lemon. There’s one sign. More on signs in a little bit…

But I can’t get enough of the ducks. If this wine had a standard label and was maybe in the $10 and under range I may be singing a different tune. But I would still say this is a tremendous wine at this price. It’s the power of suggestion, the power of art, and the pulling of mine (and many others) heartstrings. Oh I love this creature.

I love dogs and cats because they’re so affectionate. I love ducks because they are those darlings, and they also seem so loyal to one another, like many animals are. Usually I receive signs to try a wine or try anything. Because the universe works like that. I would’ve said earlier in the week I saw ducks in a pond or logos for ducks, or something to tell me in my subconscious get a wine that would match what is being presented to me.

This time things were rearranged and reversed. Just hours ago as I’m headed home, I take a more scenic route home and as I’m approaching this lovely farm that I was knew up the road, I see a family of ducks slowly walking across the street. They took their time too and I wanted them to go on forever. They’re pedestrians too, and deserve the courtesy of making it across the street as safely as possible. I mean that sincerely. I stopped to talk a picture and watched in awe and then said ‘aww’ as they walked by.

I’d like to think it was their way of saying thank you. Well I thank them and I love them so much. I’m grateful to have made some new friends and hope to see them again soon.

And this will not be the last time I explore Decoy Wines. I had too much fun with this. This all came together in less than 24 hours, and those tend to be the best of experiences.

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Today we’re celebrating International Hummus Day! It seems that only recently hummus has blown up in popularity all around the world. It used to be we found it only in restaurants as an appetizer, in International markets, and maybe a few flavors here and there at select grocery stores.

Now it’s everywhere. There are flavors that were once only imagined, and have now come to fruition.

Finding a wine to pair with our meal was a bit daunting. But once again, thanks to the awesome staff at Wine World of Abingdon, MD for their assistance.

The flavors chosen for this review were a Roasted Garlic and an Edamame. The latter I’ve only discovered recently. And it’s so yummy.

So with the spicier offerings in mind and without further adieu, the wine selected was the Retsina from Greece.

It’s not a wine I’ve sipped too often. I recall trying these at Greek Festivals in the Maryland and Washington, DC area.

This is an acquired taste. Honestly, I couldn’t finish my glass. It’s not something I’m used to. Maybe in time, it will be a glass I will learn to appreciate with Greek appetizers and the right vibe or environment. But, in this case, it wasn’t for me.

When I uncorked the bottle, the nose was really strange. I’m not sure what I was smelling. It wasn’t the most pleasing.

However, the golden color does have a charm to it.

In many instances, I like to try wines, without knowing ahead of time what fruits, flavors, or spices are included. This was no exception. What I tasted was very earth like. But not in that earthy tones term that people like to throw out there It tasted like nature. It had a familiar taste of Spring. It was like something I recall in my backyard when I was a kid. Then I did my research and saw that taste was the pine-tree resin.

This was the wine of the gods. And I think that’s awesome. But it’s not awesome for me. Not yet at least. That doesn’t mean you or yours wouldn’t like it. We all have different tastes and that’s what makes us all unique and all the same. In doing some research, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, and Pinot Noir have been common suggestions. Hopefully you’ll be able to find a wine that goes well with this special day

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In the meanwhile, I celebrated hummus yesterday and will continue today. Here we have some whole wheat pita triangles and pita chips thrown in, to dip and delight.